Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, Diana Buzoianu, said on Thursday afternoon at the Paltinu Dam that efforts to resume water supply are on schedule, with the goal of restoring service to residents by Monday.

„We are on the schedule for water to reach people by Monday. We hope the weather does not change and we do not have high turbidity again, so that we can release the water into the system on Monday,” the minister told private broadcaster Digi 24.

Minister Buzoianu said she visited Paltinu unannounced to observe the situation without any prior preparation by officials.

„I wanted to see the situation without any prior preparation by officials because we want to see the reality, not a window-dressed version,” she explained.

According to the minister, light rainfall is expected, but data from specialists indicate it will not increase the water’s turbidity.

„At the moment, what we know is that the water from the ESZ operator has completed the treatment process. It now needs to reach the economic operators, as well as Hidro Prahova, where it must also undergo a treatment process, including verification by the public health authorities, with all analyses completed within 72 hours, as I understand. So, we are on track to have water in the pipes by next Monday. We hope conditions remain stable — some light rain is expected in the coming days, but from what I have been told, speaking with all authorities, turbidity will not increase due to this rainfall. At the moment, we are following the schedule; it has not been changed and did not need to be changed. We hope turbidity does not rise so that the schedule does not have to be adjusted,” the Environment minister said.

More than 100,000 people in several localities in Prahova and Dambovita counties have been without drinking water since Friday, 28 November, due to works at the Paltinu Dam. AGERPRES